Perfect summer recipe! | How to Make Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤)

tofu

🥗Healthier: silken tofu

💰Cheaper: tempeh

Silken tofu is lower in calories, while tempeh is often more affordable.

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasoning

Vegetable broth is lower in calories, and using seasoned water can be a budget-friendly option.

Soak wood ear mushrooms in water that's too hot to touch for 20-30 minutes until they plump up.

Use soaked wood ear mushrooms immediately; do not soak overnight as it can make them poisonous.

Prepare chopped spring onions, ginger, mushrooms, cabbage, 1 egg per person, chopped tofu skins, and leftover pork.

Heat a hot wok and add neutral oil (preferably lard or a mixture of sesame and peanut oil).

Add aromatics (spring onions and ginger) to the hot oil and cook until fragrant, without caramelizing.

Pour a spoonful of soy sauce around the edge of the pan to add aroma and flavor.

Add chicken or vegetable stock, or water, to form the soup base and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add in the vegetables (wood ear mushrooms, cabbage) and cook until wilted.

Add dark soy sauce for color, then a generous pinch of salt.

Add a teaspoon of MSG for umami flavor.

Add a gigantic spoonful of Chinese white pepper for spice.

Pour in Chinese black vinegar for the sour component.

Mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry and add it to the soup slowly, waiting for it to return to a boil before adding more.

Whisk eggs and pour them slowly into the soup while letting them solidify for unique flakes or strands.

Serve the soup with cilantro, more white pepper to taste, and drizzle with sesame oil or white truffle oil.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens